Motorsport Profiles

The Octopus at NJMP’s Thunderbolt

Steve Natale

Any racer will tell you that even the slightest rumor of a new racecourse will garner more than a passing interest. The idea of an entirely new track to learn—and “master”—chews at every competitive fiber of a driver. When Grand-Am announced its 2008 Koni Challenge schedule, I was pleased to see the then-new Thunderbolt course at New Jersey Motorsports Park on it.

Thunderbolt, one of two tracks on the grounds, is comprised of a variety of medium-speed corners on the front part of the course, with just a modicum of elevation change to keep things interesting, followed by a tangled technical section out back.

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